GREAT BUDWORTH PARISH COUNCIL
Briefing paper: ELECTORAL REVIEW OF CHESHIRE WEST AND CHESTER COUNCIL
An electoral review of Cheshire West and Chester Council(CWAC) is being carried out by The Local Government Boundary Commission for England. The Commission invited Town and Parish Council representatives to attend a briefing on 1 February 2017.
The Commission is working at the invitation of CWAC. The Commission will seek to deliver electoral equality for voters in local elections. This review has no impact on the review of Parliamentary constituency boundaries
The outcome of the review is not pre-determined. Local knowledge will be valuable in helping the Commission to come to their conclusions.
However, the electoral arrangements for CWAC will change.
To date the Commission has had initial meetings with group leaders/full Council and officers which have included a Council size dialogue with the Council. It is understood that the Council is seeking to reduce the total number of Council members prior to the next elections. Currently no ward in CWAC has more than three members, some have one or two. Marbury Ward has three. There are currently substantial differences between wards (population: councillors)
The next consultation period is 28 March – 5 June 2017
Great Budworth Parish Council will be consulted.
The Commission will welcome representation that:
-Gives a rationale as to why the representation is being made
-Puts forward an alternative
-Presents evidencewhich clearly identifies how communities interact now eg. Shared community events, shared amenities and facilities, public facilities such as surgeries, hospitals, libraries, schools, what defines it and marks it out as a distinct community or communities, show how facilities provide a focus for community interaction
The final recommendations made by the Commission outcome will not create or abolish any Parish or amend Parish boundaries. Any proposed change to Parish electoral arrangements can only be accomplished as a direct consequence of their Ward proposals. The focus of the review is on practical rather than historical arrangements.
There will be a second phase consultation (probably in the Autumn of 2017) once the Commission has drawn up draft proposals. This will give Parish Councils an opportunity to comment on how the proposed warding pattern reflects community identity, consider ward names and patterns, evidence how the recommendations would impact our community, consider any knock on effect of any further changes and consult with residents (the Commission will provide posters)
Recommendation
That Great Budworth Parish Council include the electoral review of CWAC on the agenda for the meeting planned for May 2017
Hilary Brudenell, 23 February 2017
Chairman